Information-carrying sign with hidden securement

ABSTRACT

A sign device comprises a mounting part and an information-carrying part capable of being pushed onto the mounting part. When mounted the information-carrying part is locked on the mounting part by a hidden magnetic releasable lock which automatically locks the two parts together when the information-carrying part is in correct position on the mounting part. The locking device may consist of a tiltable plate born in a recess in the mounting portion and comprises an upwardly projecting flange for engagement in a correspondingly formed recess in the information-carrying part, the plate at the flange-carrying end being subjected to the influence of a spring in a direction out of the recess. This spring force can only be neutralized by an exterior force from a magnet making the flange-carrying end of the plate move downwardly into the recess and out of engagement with the information-carrying part. As a result the sign device is efficiently protected against attempts to remove the information-carrying part from the mounting part.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a sign device comprising a mounting part and aninformation-carrying part capable of being pushed onto said mountingpart, wherein the mounting part and the information-carrying partcomprise mutually cooperating profile portions having the effect thatthe pushing of the information-carrying part onto the mounting part canonly be performed during mutual displacement of substantially planar,mutually abutting surface portions on the mounting part and theinformation-carrying part, respectively.

BACKGROUND ART

Various sign devices of the above type are known. Such signs are usedboth as permanent signs and as signs, where the user according to hiswishes can replace the information-carrying part with anotherinformation-carrying part. These sign devices are generally used withoutany locking of the information-carrying part in relation to the mountingpart, for which reason unauthorized persons can easily remove theinformation-carrying part. Different methods have consequently been usedfor locking the two parts together, but the previously known methodshave not proved fully satisfactory, either because theinformation-carrying part has been disfigured by visible screws orbecause unauthorized persons have nevertheless been able to release thefastening mechanism concerned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The sign device according to the invention is characterised in that thesign device comprises a hidden magnetically releasable lock adapted toautomatically lock the mutually displaceable surface portions togetherin the pushed-on state of the information-carrying part. As a result asign device is provided ensuring locking of the two mutuallydisplaceable portions without the visible information-carrying partbeing disfigured. As a further result, unauthorized persons cannotremove the information-carrying part without having knowledge as to howthe magnetically releasable lock is situated, and thus how the magnet inquestion has to be placed to release the lock.

The lock may according to the invention be a tiltably mounted magneticplate mounted in a first recess in one of the two mutually displaceablesurface portions, and the plate may comprise a projection for lockingcooperation with a similarly formed second recess in the second of thetwo mutually displaceable surface portions, whereby the lock maycomprise a spring influencing he magnetic plate in such a manner thatthe projection will automatically be in engagement with the recess inthe second of the two mutually displaceable surface portions in theirassembled position. A lock is consequently obtained which isparticularly simply and easily constructed.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention the magneticplate may be of an oblong, rectangular shape and may be bent around atransverse bending line in close proximity to the center of the plate,and the plate may at each longitudinal side comprise a further outwardlyextending projection at the bending line, said projections beingreceived in corresponding notches extending in opposite directions fromthe first recess in one of the two mutually displaceable surfaceportions, the notches having such a depth in a direction perpendicularto the corresponding surface portion that the plate is supported in thenotches with the bending line being approximately flush with the surfaceof the surface portion.

The projection of the plate for locking the surface portions togethermay be an outwardly extending narrow flange along one end of the plateviewed in its longitudinal direction, whereby a lock is obtained, inwhich the projections of the plate for locking cooperation with thecorresponding second recess are particularly simple and function easilyduring displacement of the two mutually displaceable parts in adirection coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the plate.

Furthermore, according to the invention the spring may be a coiledspring, which is fastened, e.g. by soldering, to the plate on the sidefacing the bottom of the first recess, and which presses the end of theplate with the projection for locking the surface portions away from thebottom of the first recess by rotating or tilting the plate round itsbending line. As a result a magnetically releasable plate withassociated spring is obtained which is simple in construction and easyto mount.

Finally according to the invention the tiltably mounted plate with theassociated first recess may be connected with a separate module forfastening on the mounting part or the information-carrying part. It isconsequently obtained that a module with associated lock of the samesize may be produced for use in connection with mounting parts orinformation-carrying parts of different dimensions, as a recesscorresponding to the module should only be available in the partconcerned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a sign deviceaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a left-hand end view of the sign device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is on a larger scale a front view of a portion of the sign deviceillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the information-carrying part removed,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line I--I in FIG. 3 with theinformation-carrying part in position, and in which a magneticallyreleasable lock is illustrated in locking position, and

FIG. 5 illustrates the same as FIG. 4 but with the lock released due toa magnet located on top of the information-carrying part.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The sign device illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 comprises a mounting part 1 inthe form of an oblong plate, which as indicated by dotted lines in FIG.2 comprises apertures 2 for fastening the mounting part to a wall bymeans of screws. The sign device further comprises aninformation-carrying part 3 in the form of a rail. The mounting part 1and the information-carrying part 3 are constructed with such a profile(dovetail profile) that the information-carrying part by displacement inthe direction illustrated in FIG. 1 by an arrow 25 can be displaced intoposition on the mounting part 1 to cover said mounting part completely.The mounting part 1 and the information-carrying part 3 are preferablyof the same length. A first oblong recess 4 is as particularlyillustrated in FIGS. 3-5 formed in the side of the mounting part 1adapted to face the information-carrying part 3. The recess 4 is at thecenter of each longitudinal side extending parallel to the longitudinalsides of the mounting part connected with transverse notches 5 and 6,the bottom of which is adapted to support outwardly extendingprojections 7 and 8 on each side of a magnetic rectangular plate 9, thedepth of the notches in a direction perpendicular to the surface of themounting part 1 approximately corresponding to the thickness of theplate 9. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate particularly that the plate 9comprises a minor bend along a transverse bending line 10 indicated bydotted lines in FIG. 3. At one end the plate 9 further comprises aperpendicularly upright flange 11 and a coiled spring 12 (onlyillustrated schematically in the drawing) fastened adjacent to saidflange 11 but on the opposite side of the plate.

The first recess 4 is of such a depth in a direction perpendicular tothe surface of the mounting part that the plate 9 is allowed to tiltfreely round a line of revolution, which approximately coincides withthe bending line 10, so that one end of the plate 9 may be flush withthe surface of the mounting part, while the other end of the plate 9projects towards the bottom of the recess 4 in one outermost position ofthe plate 9, and the other end of the plate 9 may be flush with thesurface of the mounting part 1, while the first end projects towards thebottom of the recess 4 in the other outermost position of the plate 9.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 the information-carrying part 3 carriesa second recess 13 for receiving the flange 11 of the plate, and thesecond recess 13 consequently has the shape of a transverse track in theside of the information-carrying part 3 facing the mounting part 1.

When the magnetic plate 9 is in the position in the first recess 4 andthe information-carrying part 3 is pushed into position on top of themounting part 1, the flange-carrying end of the plate 9 being kept down,while the end of the information-carrying part 3 passes the flange 11,the flange 11 is automatically engaged in the recess 13 when theinformation-carrying part 3 is in position. The flange 11 remains inengagement with the second recess 13 due to the pressing of the spring12 until the opposite end of the plate 9 is influenced by a magnet 14 ofsuitable strength. As illustrated in FIG. 5 the magnet 14 is placed ontop of the information-carrying part 3. The correct positioning of themagnet 14 cannot be seen immediately, and the magnet 14 can thussuitably be connected with a tool (not shown) ensuring correctpositioning of the magnet 14 relative to predetermined reference edges,e.g. the longitudinal and transverse sides of the information-carryingpart.

In a preferred embodiment the described sign device consists of amounting part of oil hardened masonite and of an information-carryingpart of aluminium, whereas the magnetic plate 9 is made of an ordinarysteel plate with a thickness of 1.5 mm.

The invention is described with references to a specific embodiment.Many alterations may be made without thereby deviating from the scope ofthe invention. The mounting part and the information-carrying part ofthe sign device may thus have many different shapes and dimensions, itbeing important that the lock is connected with surface portions slidingagainst each other when the information-carrying part 3 is placed on themounting part 1. As indicated by dotted lines 15 in FIG. 3 the lockconsisting of the plate 9, the recess 4 and the notches 5 and 6 may bein the form of a module with predetermined rectangular dimensions andfitting into a recess in a mounting part of any ordinary size. As aconsequence the need has been avoided of having to handle mounting partsof different dimensions in the production of the individual parts forreceiving the magnetic plate and its associated parts.

I claim:
 1. A sign device comprising a mounting part and aninformation-carrying part capable of being pushed onto said mountingpart, wherein the mounting part and the information-carrying partcomprise mutually cooperating profile portions having the effect thatthe pushing of the information-carrying part onto the mounting part canonly be performed during mutual displacement of substantially planar,mutually abutting surface portions on the mounting part and theinformation-carrying part, respectively, characterised in that the signdevice comprises a hidden magnetically releasable lock adapted toautomatically lock the mutually displaceable surface portions togetherin the pushed-on state of the information-carrying part, wherein saidlock comprises a tiltably mounted magnetic plate mounted in a firstrecess in one of the two mutually displaceable surface portions, saidplate comprising a projection for locking cooperation with a similarlyformed second recess in the second of the two mutually displaceablesurface portions, said lock further comprising a spring influencing themagnetic plate in such a manner that the projection will thenautomatically be in engagement with the recess in the second of the twomutually displaceable surface portions in their assembled position.
 2. Asign device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the magneticplate is of an oblong, rectangular shape and is bent around a transversebending line in close proximity to the center of the plate, and that theplate at each longitudinal side comprises a further outwardly extendingprojection at the bending line, said projections being received incorresponding notches extending in separate directions from the firstrecess in one of the two mutually displaceable surface portions, thenotches having such a depth in a direction perpendicular to thecorresponding surface portion that the plate is supported in the notcheswith the bending line being approximately flush with the surface of thesurface portion.
 3. A sign device as claimed in claim 1, characterisedin that the projection of the plate for locking the surface portionstogether is an outwardly extending narrow flange along one end of theplate viewed in its longitudinal direction.
 4. A sign device as claimedin claim 1, characterised in that the spring is a coiled spring, whichis fastened to the plate on the side facing the bottom of the firstrecess, and which presses the end of the plate with the projection forlocking the surface portions away from the bottom of the first recess bytilting the plate around its bending line.
 5. A sign device as claimedin claim 1, characterised in that the tiltably mounted plate with theassociated first recess is connected with a separate module forfastening on the mounting part or the information-carrying part.